Brazilian Semiarid Research Articles

ASPECTOS METEOROLÓGICOS, SOCIAIS, SANITÁRIOS E DESASTRES NATURAIS NA REGIÃO NORDESTE DO BRASIL

This study aims to characterize the occurrence of natural disasters in the mesoregions situated in Brazil’s Northeastern region from sociosanitary and meteorological aspects during the period from 1991 to 2013. The grade-of-membership (GoM) method, based on fuzzy sets theory, was applied in order to define a typology of groups with distinct features. In order to identify differences among medians of climatic, socio-sanitary and disaster variables, Kruskall Wallis and Nemenyi tests were applied. To illustrate spatio-temporal patterns, thematic maps were made through QGIS software. Typology showed three extreme profiles: predominant 1, characterized by mesoregions with moderate occurrence of drought and flood, favorable conditions for rainfall surplus, best sanitary conditions and more urbanization, standing out in the coastal region of the Northeast; predominant 2 which has high drought and flood records, favorable conditions for rainfall deficit, intermediary sanitary conditions and moderate urbanization, found predominantly in mesoregions located in Brazilian Semiarid area; and predominant profile 3 which shows high flood records, favorable conditions to rainfall surplus, but low sanitary conditions and less urbanization, located fairly close of Maranhão state and the southern part Bahia state. Keywords: Natural disasters, mesoregions, GoM, Brazilian Northeast.

Precision agriculture tools for liming management in mango orchards in the Brazilian semiarid region

Optimizing the recommendation for the management of Liming Demand (LD) is essential for cost reduction and increased yield mango. Therefore, the objective of this study was to delimit management zones for the limestone recommendation in areas of irrigated mango in the Brazilian semiarid using precision agriculture techniques. The experiment was carried out in three commercial mango orchards located in the region of the San Francisco Valley, Brazil. Soil samples were collected in 0.0-0.2 m and 0.2-0.4 m depths following regular grids where the number of samples varied from 50 to 56. Soil analyses were performed. The kriging and inverse distance weighting method were used to interpolated the maps. The LD map was performed from the potential cation exchange capacity (T) and bases saturation (BS) maps. It was verified that the Mandacaru area obtained 63.42% of the field requiring liming, being subdivided into four management zones. The Sempre Verde area obtained 1.20% of the area requiring liming and the Barreiro de Santa Fé area did not present a need for the LD map. The use of precision farming techniques to delineate management zones was adequate to separate the areas into smaller and more homogeneous zones, for a more precise recommendation of liming demand.

The association between morphological characteristics and yield in forage cactus clones varies according to water regimes: a principal component analysis

Forage cactus species exhibit distinct morphological characteristics, which have a relationship to yield and can be affected by different water conditions. The objective was to analyze, with the principal components analysis (PCA), the association between morphological and productivity variables in forage cactus clones in different water regimes. We cultivated, in Serra Talhada, Brazilian semiarid, the Miúda (MIU), Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (OEM) and IPA Sertânia (IPA) clones under four water regimes based on crop evapotranspiration – ETc (0%, 40%, 80% and 120% ETc). Between the years 2016 and 2018, morphological and crop productivity data were obtained. Two main components explained >82% of the total variability of the data, and the relationship between morphological and production variables depended on the clone and the water regime. The production of fresh and dry matter was more influenced by the morphological characteristics in the MIU and OEM clones. The IPA clone showed no correlation between the variables analyzed, regardless of the water regime. PCA can be used to understand the growth dynamics of plants and to identify the water conditions that act in the production of cactus clones, favoring better management in the cultivation of culture.

Rural Sanitation: Scenarios and Public Policies for the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region

Brazil’s primary sanitation sector has been neglected, especially concerning rural sanitation. Population dispersion and the difficulty of access in many rural communities bring more significant challenges to the universalization of the service and, consequently, vulnerabilities for the population. The present work builds a theoretical framework about the context of rural sanitation in Brazil, with history, weaknesses in the sector, the impact of COVID-19 and new technologies, and central public policies in the State of Pernambuco. It is known that COVID-19 has caused considerable challenges that, added to the obstacles to national sanitation, result in greater vulnerability to the population, especially for indigenous peoples, quilombolas, and diffuse rural communities. In the State of Pernambuco, certain policies, such as the One Million Rural Cisterns Program (P1MC), One Land and Two Waters Program (P1 + 2), Água Doce Program and Operação Pipa Program, significantly improved the quality of life of the rural population. However, these measures are not enough to remedy the sector’s shortcomings. Although alternative sanitation technologies bring hope to the sector, there is a long way to go towards the universalization of sanitation.

Priority of Water Allocation during Drought Periods: The Case of Jaguaribe Metropolitan Inter-Basin Water Transfer in Semiarid Brazil

Inter-basin water transfers are the root of many conflicts, and water scarcity accentuates them. Those conflicts involve the priority of water use between regions. The Jaguaribe Metropolitan system, located in the Brazilian semiarid region, presents conflicts amongst different water users: irrigated perimeters, industry, and households. This paper analyzed the Jaguaribe Metropolitan water transfer during the 2012–2018 drought by considering environmental and societal aspects. Changes in consumption and users’ drought perception were assessed. The results showed that the drought was longer and more severe in the region that provided water (i.e., Jaguaribe) than in the region that received it (i.e., FMR). Jaguaribe irrigators were aware of the beginning of the drought, but it did not result in immediate consumption control. On the other hand, drought perception was delayed in the FMR. The results of this study suggested that the water allocation decision-making process should include not only the water demands but also the characteristics of the drought and how people perceive it. The main strategy for improving water governance seems to be promoting integrated regional planning and the empowerment of participatory management.

Long‐term meteorological drought characterization in the São Francisco watershed, Brazil: A climatic water balance approach

AbstractPartially located in the Brazilian Semiarid region, the São Francisco watershed (SFW) is a strategic hydrological system for power generation, agricultural development and the integration of the national territory. Droughts are recurrent in the Brazilian Semiarid, and climate change projected scenarios indicate their intensification in the SFW, which may compromise the access to its resources. In this context, the objective of this study was to characterize long‐term spatial and temporal meteorological drought patterns over the SFW while accounting for its different climates. We used gridded Climate Research Unit Time Series rainfall and potential evapotranspiration (PET) data for the 1942–2019 (78 years) period to retrieve a monthly climatic water balance‐based drought index. The climatological aspects of drought incidence in the SFW were assessed through linear trend analysis, the estimation of the relative effects of precipitation and PET trends in drought occurrence, and the identification of the main interannual variability modes controlling the triggering of meteorological drought through wavelet functions. Results showed that water deficit periods are becoming more frequent and intense, affecting larger areas in the middle (tropical climate) and lower (semiarid climate) portions of the SFW. Months with water surplus in these regions are also becoming less frequent. In the upper (humid subtropical climate) SFW, evidences show that water deficit periods are becoming more frequent, with an expansion of areas affected by droughts. In this subregion, increasing PET trends played a more important role than precipitation trends in the propagation of drought. Finally, low‐frequency teleconnection mechanisms such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation were found to drive the occurrence of drought in most of the SFW, while higher frequency oscillations (such as the Atlantic Meridional Mode) play a role in the lower latitudes of the basin. In the upper SFW, results indicated that interannual variability might be driven by oscillations with stronger intraseasonal components.

Environmental DNA Sequencing to Monitor Restoration Practices on Soil Bacterial and Archaeal Communities in Soils Under Desertification in the Brazilian Semiarid.

Soils from Brazilian semiarid regions are highly vulnerable to desertification due to their geology, climate, human actions, and intensive land use that contribute to desertification. Therefore, areas under desertification have increased in the Brazilian semiarid region and it has negatively changed the soil bacterial and archaeal communities and their functionality. On the other hand, although restoration strategies are expensive and there are few soils restoration programs, some practices have been applied to restore these soils under desertification. For instance, conservationist practices and grazing exclusion have been strategically implemented, and they created a new altered soil condition for soil microbial communities, boosting soil microbial diversity. Here, we discuss the potential of these restoration strategies to recover the richness and diversity of soil bacterial and archaeal communities that were described through environmental DNA (eDNA) sequencing of soil samples. eDNA sequencing results show that areas where restoration strategies have been applied in regions under desertification in the Brazilian semiarid have increased species richness, diversity, and structure of the bacterial and archaeal community. In addition, network connectivity and functionality of the soil microorganisms have been improved over time. Altogether, we show that management strategies for soil restoration have positive effects on soil microbial communities and these effects can be monitored using the eDNA sequencing approach.

Development of a methodological approach to estimate vegetation biomass using remote sensing in the Brazilian semiarid NE region.

The accurate estimation of vegetation biomass over large areas is still a significant challenge. The evolution of low-cost geotechnologies is rapidly facilitating this task, but their use to estimate biomass on tropical dry forests (TDFs) is still scarce. TDFs cover large areas and are currently among the most threatened global ecosystems due to intense anthropic pressures. Therefore, there is a need for the development of tools capable of monitoring the complex spatial-temporal dynamics of these highly variable ecosystems. We developed a methodology to estimate aboveground biomass stocks in a tropical dry forest (known as “Caatinga”), native to the semiarid region of Northeast Brazil, using field and orbital data, regression models, and high-performance computation. We combined twenty types of vegetation spectral indices and isolated spectral bands of the Landsat 8 satellite OLI sensor to generate regression model equations that could predict biomass stocks. The selected models were applied in a cloud processing routine developed using Google Earth Engine (GEE) to estimate the biomass (30 m pixel resolution) in the entire semiarid region of Pernambuco state (85,900 km2), using the years 2017 and 2018 as references. The regression models were capable of predicting the biomass in dense Caatinga (μ 32.6 Mg ha−1 - R2 0.52), open Caatinga (μ 11.4 Mg ha−1- R2 0.56), and pasturelands (μ 4.2 Mg ha−1-R2 0.94). Using the equations previously defined and the map of the Brazilian Annual Coverage and Land Use Mapping (Mapbiomas) we developed a workflow script in GEE to plot a map that represents the biomass stock over the entire semiarid region of Pernambuco. The system plotted the distribution and amount of biomass with similar results to those available in the literature. Given the large area of the region, the biomass was estimated with reasonable precision in spatial and temporal distribution, while demanding little time and hardware costs. Future refinements of the method will be pursued, but the proposed version represents an improvement in the capability to provide reliable estimates and contributes to monitor the biomass dynamics in the in semiarid region of NE Brazil.

Morphological Stasis in Time? A Triatoma brasiliensis brasiliensis Study Using Geometric Morphometrics in the Long Run.

Simple SummaryTriatomines are vector insects capable of transmitting the protozoan that causes Chagas disease, thus representing a health risk in several countries, especially in Central and South America. Triatoma brasiliensis brasiliensis, the main triatomine vector in northeastern Brazil, needs frequent monitoring as it is able to colonize various natural and artificial ecotopes as well as to infest domiciles. This research uses geometric morphometrics as a tool to evaluate changes in the morphology and analyze a large temporal dataset of 102 years of collections of T. b. brasiliensis. Finding novelty results which indicate a morphological stasis in the morphology.Triatoma brasiliensis brasiliensis Neiva, 1911 is one of the most important vectors of Chagas disease in the Brazilian semiarid regions in the north-east. The risk imposed by T. b. brasiliensis to the human populations, due to frequent invasions and/or colonization of the domiciles, demands constant monitoring and control actions as well as an understanding of its evolutionary process. In this context, the following research studies the pattern of shape adaptation over time using a large dataset from 102 years of specimen collections in order to identify the morphological plasticity of this vector in Brazil. This dataset was analyzed using geometric morphometrics tools and the timescale was divided into eight different groups, containing specimens from 1912 to 2014. Geometric morphometrics analysis showed an interesting morphological stasis in the wing shape of T. b. brasiliensis, which allowed us to understand the high capacity of adaptation to changes in climate condition through time, and the invasive status which Triatoma species have around the world. Moreover, these results showed novel findings as an interesting phenotypic pattern, with no modifications in more than 100 years, leading us to understand the shape evolution in Triatominae as a vector species of diseases.

Aqualuz: a new solar disinfection device for treatment of cistern water

Abstract We conducted field, laboratory and modeling studies to evaluate the efficiency of a new solar disinfection (SODIS) device called Aqualuz for the removal of Escherichia coli (EC) from cistern water in the Brazilian semiarid, for different solar exposure–water temperature conditions. The results indicated EC contamination (100–300 MPN/100 mL) in all tests performed. As compared to the literature, lower exposure times (2.5–4.0 h) and solar radiations (250–410 W/m²) were sufficient for EC elimination. Then, assuming the complete-mix approach and first-order kinetics, it was possible to adjust EC decay rate constants (k) considering three different models: constant k-value, k as a function of water temperature and a new formulation for k as a function of both solar radiation and water temperature. All models performed well with normalized root mean squared logarithmic error (NRMSLE) lower than 20%, but the best fitting was obtained with the new approach. A new relationship between solar radiation and water temperature was also obtained, which allowed model simulations of EC decay for 34 municipalities in the Brazilian northeast, resulting in a color map for the region depicting the exposure periods of 1.8–5.6 h for reaching a 3-log reduction.

Identification of levels of anthropization and its implications in the process of desertification in the Caatinga biome (Jeremoabo, Bahia-Brazil)

Desertification is one of the most serious current environmental problems and corresponds to the impoverishment and decrease of moisture in sandy soils located in regions with a sub-humid, arid and semiarid climate, with its main causes related to climatic variations and the resulting negative impacts of human activities. Studies show that the soils located in the Brazilian semiarid and especially in the Caatinga biome have been suffering an intense process of desertification due to the replacement of natural vegetation as a result of economic activities. Most municipalities that have an economy based on agropastoral activities are at the centre of desertification in several centres in Brazil. Based on this context and considering that the original vegetation cover is a preponderant factor for soil conservation, and subsequently for the maintenance of the ecological stability of the Caatinga biome, this work aimed to map the vegetation cover of the Vaza-Barris watershed corresponding to the municipality of Jeremoabo (Bahia-Brazil), with the purpose of identifying and quantifying, in terms of surface, the main types of interaction between human activities and the remnants of the vegetation cover, listing the potential impacts that have a direct consequence on the desertification processes. The delimitation of the vegetation cover was the result processing Sentinel 2A satellite images and the use of the Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index - SAVI. Five thematic classes representative of the study area were identified, classified according to the increasing level of anthropization that allowed us to conclude that desertification causes damage to agriculture, making the areas unproductive, as well as excessive agriculture with inappropriate practices causes the loss of fertility of the soils, aggravating the desertification process. With this, the environmental and social quality is threatened, considering that the main source of income in the municipality of Jeremoabo comes from agricultural activities and these are dependent on climatic conditions, soil conservation and water resources.

Diversity in smallholder dairy production systems in the Brazilian semiarid region: Farm typologies and characteristics of raw milk and water used in milking

Smallholder dairy farms (SDF) producers are being challenged by market demands combined with competition and limited access to productive and market inputs, contributing for reducing its participation in the dairy activity. Thus a sustainability assessment for SDF development is necessary, opening the opportunity for recognizing the diversity between production systems. Farm typologies are often used for this purpose. The objective was to develop a typological analysis of the smallholder dairy farms in the Brazilian semiarid region and evaluate characteristics of raw milk and water used in milking. A semi-structured questionnaire containing social, physical, livestock, herd management, technological, productive, and economic indicators with 49 variables was applied in 28 SDF. Of these, 23 were selected, and collections of milk and water used for milking management were performed. Three multivariate analysis techniques were used: exploratory factor analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and canonical discriminant analysis. Three production systems have been identified: Conventional system: Mature illiterate and rural farmers, small herds and farms, low technological level, less intensive management, and low milk production with in nature marketing (15 farms; 53.6%); Traditional system: Mature farmers with basic education, farms managed with hired labor, large herds and areas, extensive management, low technological level, high production of milk for the manufacture of cheese (6 farms; 21.43%); and Emerging system: Young farmers with a high level of education, small herds and farms, intensive management, intermediate technological level, and high milk production and productivity with in nature marketing (7 farms; 25.0%). The social, physical, livestock, herd management and technological, and productive indicators showed discriminatory power (P < 0.05) to differentiate the typologies. Milk and water traits were similar (P > 0.05) among the production systems. The average values of the milk composition are in the threshold of the Brazilian legislation, unlike the somatic cell count (CSS) and standard plate count (SPC). Antibiotic residue was not found in milk from any SDF.The water used in milking management was characterized by high counts of aerobic mesophilic bacteria and total and thermotolerant coliforms, hard water, and neutral pH. For the continuity of SDF in the Brazilian semiarid, it is essential (i) participation of young people in the sector; (ii) feed planning for the dry period; (iii) herd health calendar according to legislation; (iv) water treatment (chlorination) and use of alkaline detergent for use in milking management, and (v) formal marketing of milk and its derivatives. Finally, our results can be used to inform and support public decision-makers responsible for the formulation and implementation of livestock development policy in the Brazilian semiarid region and being useful for other drylands.

Dirt on photovoltaic modules and efficient energy generation in the Brazilian semiarid

ABSTRACT A photovoltaic electrical energy system is one of the least aggressive ways to affect the environment. Factors such as dirt influence the efficiency of these systems and can have a considerable impact in low rainfall regions, such as the Brazilian semiarid. In this respect, the aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of dirt on the efficiency of electricity generation in photovoltaic modules installed in the Brazilian semiarid. To that end, the output power of a periodically cleaned module was compared with a naturally dirty module; in addition, the percentage output power, dirt deposition density and relationship between these variables were estimated. The study was carried out at the University of Pernambuco, in the city of Petrolina, PE, Brazil, during dry and rainy periods. Data were collected via a data acquisition system and dirt using glass slides. The results indicate that more than 15 days without rain significantly reduces the efficiency of photovoltaic modules installed in semiarid areas, reaching an 18.72% decrease in output power after 70 days.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of agricultural areas with central pivot using orbital remote sensing in the Brazilian semiarid

It is essential to know the dynamics of agricultural areas through surface energy balance components such as radiation balance, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture for the sustainable management of water use in irrigation. In the present study, we undertook to monitor and evaluate the spatiotemporal dynamics of an irrigated area with a center pivot in a region of the Brazilian semiarid region, based on physical and water parameters of the energy balance, using remote sensing techniques. The work was developed using three Landsat-8 satellite images, implementing the Surface Energy Balance Algorithms for Land (SEBAL), responsible for extracting geospatial information. In addition, surface meteorological data were used for image corrections and calibrations. The results presented, from thematic maps, monitoring of the spatiotemporal dynamics of irrigated areas, specifying mainly the production of irrigated corn with pivot. Thus, because of the physical-water parameters, photosynthetically active radiation irrigated areas and water deficit were identified, with higher and lower values of the radiation balance, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture, respectively. Therefore, spatiotemporal monitoring of the dynamics of irrigated areas can help in planning and managing the proper management of agricultural systems for the sustainable use of water in the Brazilian semiarid region. The MNDWI proved to be sensitive and efficient to analyze the dynamics of the presence of water in center pivot irrigation and can be an effective part of irrigation management in the region.

Internal phosphorus loading and its driving factors in the dry period of Brazilian semiarid reservoirs

This study investigated the relationships between physical, limnological and climatic drivers with the internal total phosphorus (TP) loading produced over the dry period in 30 water supply reservoirs of the Brazilian semiarid. Improvements in the understanding of sedimentary TP fluxes in reservoirs of dryland regions are pressing as they usually have serious water quality related issues, remaining mostly eutrophic especially under frequent drought events. Gross daily fluxes and net seasonal average release rates were calculated from mass balance and regression equations considering water and sediment TP concentrations, anoxic duration, water temperature and fish contribution. Additionally, the ratio of wind speed to reservoir volume was proposed as a new surrogate and then applied as explanatory variable to predictive models. The results indicated TP release rates higher than reported for non-semiarid lakes/reservoirs with average gross fluxes ranging from 17.64 to 35.99 mg m−2 day−1. This may be attributed to the enriched sediments (1029.49 ± 552.49 mg kg−1) allied with warmer water temperature, high trophic state, and prolonged anoxic periods (average duration of about 60 days). The average release rates were negatively correlated with water transparency and water depth, and positively correlated with Chl-a, wind speed and trophic state. The release rates increased across the trophic gradient (p < 0.05), about 10-fold higher under hypertrophic conditions than in oligotrophic ones. As anoxia is linked with eutrophication, phosphorus release is more likely in eutrophic ecosystems. Regarding the new surrogate, a strong predictive ability for TP release (R2: 0.26–0.93) was observed. Similarly, the proposed models presented a physically consistent behavior with a stabilizing releasing pattern suggesting the achievement of equilibrium in nutrient exchange between sediment-water interface. This research advanced by combining and proposing methods to assess and quantify sedimentary fluxes in data-scarce regions balancing accuracy and transferability, in order to be replicable to other dryland environments globally.

Behavior and wear of the hooves of confined sheep in different types of floors

The objective of this work was to evaluate the thermal environment, the surface temperature of the floor, wear of the hooves, ingestive behavior, and the productive performance of Santa Inês sheep, confined in facilities with individual pen, with three types of floor (masonry, rubber, and sand). The research was developed in the dry period in the Brazilian Semiarid region, using 18 females with 120 days of age and weighing 21.33 ± 2.62 kg. It was used a completely randomized design with three treatments and six replications. A 3 × 4 factorial was used for the surface temperature, with three types of floor and four collection times, applying the Tukey test at 5% probability and regression analysis by the SAS software. For the morphometric measures, ingestive behavior, and performance of the animals, the Tukey test at 5% was applied through the PROC GLM, and the continuous behavioral measures had their frequencies compared by the Chi-square test at the level of 5% through the PROC FREQ. The sand floor had the highest surface temperature concerning the other floors, regardless of the time. The animals kept on the masonry floor had a reduction of 6.17 and 5.56 cm in the upper length of the front hull and a reduction of 3.37 and 3.36 cm in the rear hull, respectively. The ingestive behavior and performance of the animals (90 g animal-1 day-1) were not affected by the type of floor used.

Geoheritage of a Brazilian Semi-Arid Environment: the Seridó Aspiring UNESCO Geopark

Geoheritage of a Brazilian Semi-Arid Environment: the Seridó Aspiring UNESCO Geopark

Water restriction periods affect growth performance and nutritional status of Santa Inês sheep in the Brazilian Semi-arid

This study aimed to assess the growth performance and nutritional status of sheep under intermittent water supply by means of performance, intake, apparent digestibility of nutrients, water balance and nitrogen. Thirty-two intact male sheep (20.7 ± 2.63 kg, 8 months of age) were distributed in a completely randomized design with 4 water supply intervals via drinking trough (0h00, 24h00, 48h00, and 72h00), with 8 replicates. The extension in the water restriction period caused a reduction in the intake of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, digestible energy, and metabolizable energy (P &lt; 0.05). The digestibility coefficients of dry matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber showed a linear decrease with increasing periods of water restriction (P &lt; 0.05). Water intake via food, total water intake, and water excretion via feces showed a linear increase in response to an increase in the water supply interval (P &lt; 0.05). Water intake via drinking, metabolic water, total water excretion and water balance presented a linear decrease, with increasing periods of water restriction (P &lt; 0.05). Nitrogen intake and absorbed nitrogen were influenced by water restriction, presenting a linear decreasing trend according to water supply periods (P &lt; 0.05). Final weight, daily weight gain, and total weight gain, were influenced by the periods of water restriction, showing a linear reduction (P &lt; 0.05). Feed conversion increased as the water restriction period increased (P=0.004). Intermittent water supply at intervals of up to 72h00 reduced nutrient intake and digestibility, resulting in a decrease in weight gain of the studied animals.

Relationship between Rainfall Instability and Agricultural Production in the Brazilian Semi-arid Region

Relationship between Rainfall Instability and Agricultural Production in the Brazilian Semi-arid Region

Rainwater Harvesting as a Strategy for Adapting to Climate Change and Building Women's Autonomy in Brazilian Semiarid

Cisterns Program aims to mitigate drought impacts through strengthening the adaptive capacity of vulnerable inhabitants in Brazilian Semiarid (BSA). Cisterns promote the ability of farmers to adapt to climatic stresses in long run. This article discusses the impacts of the Rainwater Harvesting Program (RHP) on the livelihoods of women in BSA. Policy implementation has been assessed from capacity building and social mobilization to the construction of infrastructure that guarantees rainwater harvesting for human consumption and productive uses. Based on semi-structured interviews applied to case studies in Paraíba, Pernambuco and Ceará states, this article discusses how the gender perspective can improve adaptive capacity. Results from the case studies indicated important changes in female autonomy, greater independence related to water access, resulting in extra time for other activities, including education. Moreover, the availability of water for production has strengthened productive capacity leading to greater food security and well-being. Lastly, it was also reported a sense of economic independence related to income generation from improved production capacity.